Vacuum operated collection devices for collecting body fluids, such as mucous and other matter from the throat of a patient, generally include a container having a screw-on or snap-on cap which must provide a fluid tight closure, and a pair of tubes connected in fluid tight connection with the cap and in fluid communication with the interior of the container. In use, one of the tubes is connected to a source of vacuum or a suction source, for example, a mouthpiece for providing suction by mouth or to a conventional hospital source of vacuum. The other tube may be a catheter or be connected to a catheter which is inserted into the throat of a patient or other cavity so as to effect withdrawal of fluid from the body cavity and collection in the container.
One disadvantage or problem of such prior art devices is that the cap is a separately formed element which generally has to be assembled with the container and the tubes, and all in fluid tight relation. In general, the use of a separate cap requires assembly time and increased manufacturing costs. Also, when it is desired to remove some of the collected sample fluid for clinical test purposes, it is necessary to unscrew the cap or snap it from the container and generally with the two tubes connected to the cap. Such removal of the cap with portions of the tubes that were in the container with the collected body fluid is cumbersome and can be unsanitary.